Scream back where it belongs

Munch's Scream has made its long awaited return to the gallery from which it was stolen in 2004.

A short term exhibition is being held at the Oslo Munch Museum until Sunday so that visitors can see the recovered works.

There is damage to the paintings and they will be worked on by restorers after the exhibition has ended.

Both the Scream and the Madonna were stolen by thieves who entered the gallery and tore them off the walls. The paintings were also ripped from the frames which led to some mild damage to the outside.

The Madonna has noticeable rips in the canvas but less damage appears to have been done to the Scream, although until they are properly examined the full extent of any damage cannot be truly revealed.

Ingebjoerg Ydstie, from the Museum, told the Associated Press: "The paintings were not so badly damaged that they could not be displayed without full-artistic appreciation."

Any restoration will obviously not alter or add to the work in any way and Ms Ydstie noted: "There is a line between restoring and adding something to the pictures. You can't add new elements to an original Munch work."

Police arrested the thieves in May this year and recovered the works in August, news of which was greeted with an outpour of tremendous joy by the Munch museum.